Jesus Swallowed Up Death

by Sam

He has swallowed up death forever! The Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces. He will take the reproach of his people away from off all the earth, for the LORD has spoken it.

Isaiah 25:8

I first encountered death when I was a freshman in high school. I had come back from Christmas break. At worship time, we were informed that one of our classmates had died in a car accident on the way to school.

I felt my stomach dropped as my young 14-year-old mind tried to understand death in a real sense. Just a few weeks ago she had been cheerfully making breakfast during finals, encouraging and laughing with people. Now she was gone. She was 16 years old. Sweet and kind to everyone she met. She died believing in Christ as a risen Savior. She died trusting in the power of Christ over death.

For Christians, death is not the end. Jesus died the final death for all of us. He has defeated death for us so that we don’t have to be scared to death. While God did allow my friend to die, I know that I will see my friend again in Heaven. And if I believe and accept Jesus as my Savior and give my life to Him, that I also need not be afraid of death. God holds my life and He directs when my time here on earth ends.

God knows that my classmates and those closest to my friend mourned for her for a few weeks. Her best friends were allowed to attend her funeral. Our school had our own memorial service for her. We remembered her cheerful attitude and hardworking spirit. We sang the songs that she loved and recited her favorite stories. And finally, we read Bible promises like today’s verse that death is swallowed up in Christ.

Let this Easter, remind you that Jesus defeated death. So, you say:

“I declare that Jesus who holds the keys of death (Revelation 1:18) has died the eternal death for me. So, today and forever, He is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25) for me.”